MOX Sucks Down Taxpayer Money, But how Much Will it Take till it Goes Bust?

As of December 31, funding in the current fiscal year (October 1, 2014 – September 30, 2015) for the monumental MOX failure remains unclear.  True to form, DOE simply won’t inform the public as to how much of its money is being wasted on the construction of the MOX plant at the Savannah River Site.

Congress has recently passed legislation appropriating $345 million “for continued construction of the MOX Fuel Fabrication Facility, including Other Project Costs.”  (see language here from Congress on “Energy and Water” funding for DOE)  But what are those “other project costs?”

The portion of the $345 million for actual construction of the MOX plant at the Savannah River Site is yet to be revealed.  If it all goes to construction, where will support and other associated funding come from?

One Thing is Clear: Senator Lindsey Graham, a big spender from South Carolina who places protection of MOX contractors above all else,  suffered a big defeat with his failed attempt to secure higher MOX funding

The amount passed for the construction of the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility (MFFF) and other costs is far below what Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) got through the Senate Energy and Water Development Subcommittee last June.  Graham got $515 million through the committee “to support plutonium and uranium disposition activities,” with $400,000,000 to continue construction of MFFF.  (see Senate report on the funding here)  With lower funding per year for MOX, the overall cost will only increase if the project is dragged out over a longer period of time.  (But isn’t that a goal of some contractors?  Make a failed project like this as costly as possible for as long as possible…)

Considering that DOE reports in the Plutonium Disposition Working Group report (page A-6) of April 2014 (and in the FY 2015 budget request, page 552 ) that the operation of the MOX plant alone is estimated to be $543 million per year, the $345 million is far below the amount needed per year to make the program sustainable. Where will Senator Graham find ~$800 million per year for the next two decades to carry out this grossly mismanaged project?  Meanwhile, he hasn’t lifted a finger to hold managers of the MOX boondoggle accountable for their irresponsible actions in creating the MOX mess.

When will Senator Graham and his MOX booster allies, particularly Senator Tim Scott and Representative Joe Wilson, act to reign in this out-of-control project and hold top managers accountable?  Though their pals at CB&I AREVA MOX Services may continue to rake in tax-payer money as they stumble around with their failed project, the MOX albatross will only continue to be a weighty burden around the necks of those politicians if they don’t act in the public interest. (We agree that there is no evidence that they will ever act in the public interest concerning the funding and management of the MOX boondoogle.)